Hello Everyone,

Just back from Phuket Immigration. Maybe it was just a slow day, or too early in the morning, but the number of people seemed much less than my previous 4 or 5 visits. Only 1 volunteer manning the info desk/queue number generator, but by 0845, the queue for forms and queue numbers was gone. No wait at that time.

I came to get another 'certificate of residence', this time needed for drivers license renewal. I get a new copy of my lease every year from the landlord, it looks like a standard form that I have seen from some of my friends rental documents. It has Thai and (extremely poor) English translations, my landlords write everything down in what looks like a minor mess. It's the best they can do, and up until this time a copy of the lease (2 pages) has always been fine to get a cert. of residence.

This time the officer seemed to scrutinize all the documents much more thoroughly than before. On the first pass, everything looked to be in order, but somehow the lady seemed determined to find something wrong. All the dates, address, rental period, etc., were correct. According to the officer, the landlord wrote something in the wrong place on the lease form, it looked like they wrote above the line instead of below it on one entry. The officer pointed out the error, and then looked at me as if I needed to do something more. I offered a copy of last years lease, in obviously the same terrible penmanship, same standard form, same address, etc., along with the original receipt of rent paid on the current lease. It sort of hung in the air for a moment as a stand-off, but I kept quiet and she eventually accepted the documents.

My advice based on this experience is for anyone who intends to apply for certificate of residence (which in the past was quick and no hassle), be sure all your documents match and all entries are made correctly. The problem is, unless one is fluent in Thai, how would you know such a minor error has been made on such a lease form? Maybe I should ask for an English version of the lease - at least that way the info can be checked. I wonder if they would reject a lease in English at Immigration and ask for an official translated copy.

I hope this helps someone avoid having their lease copy rejected.

Difficult to say, but being Phuket, with an English lease you might get the same expectant look again.

Strangely all of my leases going back through 5 properties in a lot more years were English language.

Never have I been asked for translations. Even in the Phuket office where they clearly try to make problems.

I had a similar experience last week. Not in Phuket. If i hear your story it sounds exactly the same case and i never experienced something like this in Thailand before. I just made a normal copy of my condo-contract, but the officer said the contract has the wrong format. For him, my contract had to many pages and he wanted it print in a different style - yes this sounds so ridiculous that i would never posted it here if i not read this story with a similar case. The case was absolutely clear, he just tried everything to find something wrong - but what can i do if the exercise was "a copy of my rental contract" - exactly so i did it.

Since i leaving Thailand now soon first to make up my mind to find out if i really want to stay longer, the document is not important any more and i not want to visit this officer again cause i saw already i could do what i want, he just want to show his power over me. Nothing more. I'm always polite and so i just smiled and said ok i come back and bring the contract in the right format....this last visit on my local immigration gives me a break, i now thinking about what my future will be in here, if any.

free of charge?

free of charge?

korat its 500bht. or CROSS MY PALM WITH SILVER.

Do you need a Certificate of Residence if you have a work permit and Non B visa?